Kick Off: Captain claims USMNT are hitting their peak

The USA promise that the dominant 2-0 quarterfinal win over Jamaica was not just a one-off.

Ahead of tonight’s Gold Cup semifinal against Panama (7 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer and Univisión), USA captain Carlos Bocanegra feels like the USMNT is “peaking at the right time.” He also points out how Central American teams “have a funny style of play” which makes them difficult to deal with and may help explain the group-stage loss.

Mexico star Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who plays in the second semifinal doubleheader at sold-out Reliant Stadium vs. Honduras (10 p.m. ET, Univisión), may feel like Houston is a second home for him. But it means even more to the USA’s Clint Dempsey, who comes from Nacogdoches, Texas, and wants everyone to know about it: “This is where I came from, and I put the star where Nacogdoches is … when I go out, I always try to rep 'em."

The Gold Cup matches are huge but the two MLS league matches on tap tonight have major implications. First, the Philadelphia Union have fallen to second place in the Eastern Conference after stumbling in recent matches but they have a chance to retake first place with a win against Sporting Kansas City at PPL Park tonight (7:30 p.m. ET, MatchDay Live). Sporting can pull within six points of Philly with a road win.

The other league match tonight sees the Chicago Fire hosting Real Salt Lake (8:30 p.m. ET, MatchDay Live). RSL will be missing a striker due to suspension after Jean Alexandre was sanctioned by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for a reckless tackle. RSL manager Jason Kreis was not happy about Alexandre’s suspension, stating “I didn’t see anything in it.”

Another Swede, New York Red Bulls manager Hans Backe, is pondering a Dane Richards-Dwayne De Rosario strike force on Thursday with Juan Agudelo (US national team), Luke Rodgers (injury) and Thierry Henry (suspension) all out of action. In the meantime he joined the RBNY chorus complaining about the Henry red card from the weekend. He told reporters, “If it was written down as violent conducts, it is a joke.”

In other televised soccer action today, the US Under-17 national team, which defeated the Czech Republic handily in its first match, face Uzbekistan today in their second group match at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup (4 p.m. ET, Galavisión). Meanwhile, the manager of the US U-17s back in the 80s, who coached players like Claudio Reyna, says that “I expected it [US soccer] to be further along than it is now.” Find out why.

All but one of the US Open Cup second round matches was played last night. While the Chicago Fire PDL side are forced to play tonight after their game was suspended due to lightning, see all the other results here. Some of the third round matchups will feature a few derbies: LA Galaxy vs. LA Blues and New York Red Bulls vs. FC New York.

Will it be the final goodbye from Neymar before he heads to Real Madrid? His Brazilian club Santos goes for the ultimate prize in South American soccer later tonight holding a 1-0 first-leg lead as they head home to face Peñarol in the Copa Libertadores finale. Here’s a preview. (8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Deportes)